Meet Clayton Beck, a devoted pastor and community builder whose journey to Hemlock is a testament to faith and perseverance.
Born in Springfield, Missouri, Clayton met his wife Rebekah, originally from Birch Run, when she attended Bible college in Missouri in 1994. Clayton spent much of his early ministry years as a lay pastor, teaching 5th-grade Sunday school, junior and high school youth groups, and serving as an associate pastor. Their path then led them to Texas for two years of preparation, fundraising, and training for missionary work in Belize, where they lived and ministered for two years with three young children. They even shipped a school bus over on a banana boat to use for transporting kids from surrounding villages to their ministry. This big yellow container also served as a convenient way to move their belongings to their new home in Central America. During their time in Belize, they welcomed their fourth child.
Restless and seeking direction for their next adventure, Clayton recalls praying over an open atlas in Belize in 2003. During that time, Rebekah's brother, who was working at Hemlock Semiconductor, suggested they come to Hemlock and start a church. Laughing, Clayton confessed, “I was hoping the Lord would lead us to sunny San Diego, but no. I spent the first two years in Michigan freezing to death, wearing a leather jacket…inside the house.” With four small children, they stepped out in faith and moved to Michigan, temporarily staying with Rebekah's parents in Birch Run and driving their kids to Hemlock for school through the School of Choice program. Although they knew no one in Hemlock, Clayton felt a distinct calling to the community and started a small church in a building across from the grain elevator. Their first service coincided with Hemlock High School’s graduation service - and a tornado, yet over 100 people attended the opening of Bible Baptist Church.
Their church soon moved to a little building next to the dry cleaners in town, with just seven pews for their growing congregation. After a year, they relocated to an old church in Merrill at Lakefield Road, where Clayton pastored for eight years, including a year and a half of doing double-duty, helping to pastor a church in Chesaning.
Throughout their 19 years in Michigan, Clayton often worked bi-vocationally. He spent a couple of years at Hemlock Semiconductor (HSC), eight years at Barn Door Lumber (now Cross & Lincoln), and two years as the bus dispatcher for Hemlock Public School District, building relationships and deepening their roots in the Hemlock community as he went.
During his time with the school district, Clayton worked closely with the superintendent, helping to coordinate and oversee the bond project. Rebekah served on the school board and eventually became its president. Feeling the tug to return to pastoral leadership, Clayton founded ‘The Well’ in the fall of 2013. Initially meeting on Saturday evenings in the old administrative building next to the bus garage, they moved to their current location in 2017, where they continue to worship and build authentic relationships on Sunday mornings, excited about their growth and expansion.
A sweet thread woven throughout their story is Rebekah’s desire to connect with her own people. Amazingly, one of the first people they met while distributing church fliers turned out to be one of Rebekah’s distant cousins. It was discovered that her grandfather had started a church in Hemlock in the sixties and that one of Hemlock's founding families is also among Rebekah’s distant relatives. Clayton found out at a funeral he conducted recently that he was ministering to the children and grandchildren of the people his wife’s grandfather had served. Laughing, he shared a story one of the old men recalled to him about his encounter with Preacher Smith (Rebekah’s grandfather). “While he was talking to my brothers and sisters, inviting us to his church in Hemlock, I collected chicken eggs and carefully placed them in his coat pocket. When he stuck out his hand to shake mine, I said, ‘Great to see you, preacher!’ and smacked that suit pocket!” Despite the guilt this elderly man had carried, he recalled the smile and gracious response of Rebekah’s grandfather as he and Clayton reminisced over that encounter from 65 years prior.
With 19 years in Hemlock now, having pastored in Merrill, Chesaning, and Hemlock, the Becks have been able to establish their own roots here while deeply connecting with the family roots Rebekah had longed for. All four of the Beck children are Hemlock High School graduates. Having been in ministry for 27 years, Clayton and Rebekah celebrated both Clayton’s birthday and their 30th wedding anniversary this week, complete with fireworks, thanks to the 4th of July. Their journey is a beautiful testament to the power of faith, family, and community.
We are grateful for the Beck family's presence in Hemlock and their faithful commitment to serving and uplifting our community. They keep us #HemlockStrong.
#HumansOfHemlock #HemlockHuskies #BetterTogether #Since1863